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A European Union-backed youth program has wrapped up after selecting 100 participants from over 150 applicants and awarding a cross-border urban sustainability project developed during a week-long bootcamp.
The ErasmusPlus KA210 VET initiative, titled “Gamification Academy for Mastering Youth,” was coordinated by StartGate Tekmer in partnership with INNOX Technology Center in North Macedonia. Funded by the European Union, the project brought together young people from Türkiye and North Macedonia for a structured online program followed by in-person training.
The online phase began in November 2025 after a selection process narrowed over 150 applications to 100 participants. Over nine weeks, trainees worked through modules focused on gamification-based design, user experience, impact-driven project development, storytelling, communication and presentation techniques, and digital application skills.
Training sessions were delivered by Wefi Games trainers, according to the organizers.
Dr. Arzu Aydin, Erasmus Project Director at StartGate Tekmer, said the goal was to help young people generate measurable social impact.
“Through this project, we aimed to empower young people to position themselves as actors generating concrete and measurable social impact by strengthening their digital competencies, awareness of sustainable development, and impact-oriented thinking skills,” Aydin said.
After the online phase, participants were evaluated based on performance. Seven individuals qualified for an in-person bootcamp held at INNOX Technology Centre in North Macedonia.
The bootcamp started on Feb. 9, 2025, and ran for one week. It brought together seven international teams comprising 30 participants from the two countries.
During the camp, teams developed project proposals built around gamification and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a set of global targets adopted by U.N. member states to address issues such as climate action, sustainable cities, and quality education.
Dr. Abil Baush, CEO of INNOX, said organizers plan to maintain communication beyond the bootcamp to support further collaboration and wider dissemination of the ideas generated.
At the end of the program, a project titled “International Cities Revitalization (ICR)” secured first place. The team behind the concept included Seyma Altiparmak, Besnik Emini, Shuajb Rexhepi, Nuredin Osmani, and Clirim Iseni.
The ICR proposal was developed in line with the Sustainable Cities and Communities goal under the U.N. framework. It aims to tackle urban infrastructure and environmental issues through a gamified model that centers on citizen participation.
According to the project outline, the model sets out a measurable collaboration framework linking municipalities, private sector actors, and residents, positioning young people as drivers of initiatives in active citizenship and sustainability.
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